A tiny newborn was asleep in her bassinet at a family event and was attacked and killed by the family’s two rottweilers.
A Family in Mourning
Two Rottweilers mauled a five-week-old baby to death and struck without warning while the girl slept in a bassinet as her parents sat close by at a family barbecue.
Little Mia Jade Riley was sleeping in her bassinet outside her grandfather’s home in Moruya, on the New South Wales south coast, when the two dogs suddenly attacked her without warning.
Despite there being no other children around, the dogs showed no signs of agitation or distress, and nobody was provoking them or causing them to run around.
‘It just happened out of nowhere.’
Riley said the couple’s other two-year-old daughter had also been around the dogs repeatedly since she was born without any incident.
What Happened
A friend said the dogs suddenly started mauling the baby “out of nowhere.”
Tom Riley, a local chiropractor, and his wife Lani sprang into action to rescue their baby girl from the dogs while guests at the dinner were left horrified and scrambled to assist.
Mia’s parents eventually tore the dogs off the girl and rushed her to Moruya Hospital, but she could not be saved.
“There were no other kids, the dogs weren’t running around and no-one was provoking the dogs or anything. They weren’t agitated or distressed,” a friend said.
They described the desperate battle to free the little girl from the dogs.
“Everyone there had to be involved to get the dogs off,” they said.
“There was a considerable amount of blood, it was terrible.”
Rottweilers and Children’s Safety
Neighbors previously claimed they had complained to the council about fears they would attack one day.
“We warned them .. we said (to council) they will attack someone one day, they are so loud and intimidating,” one elderly resident told the Daily Telegraph.
“Eurobodalla Council can confirm two dogs were seized by rangers. The dogs were euthanized on Friday following advice from NSW Police,” a spokesman said.
Mr. Riley said he would be working long days, so “I will no longer be in the clinic on Fridays, favoring to stay at home and spend time with my kids.”
“Sleep startle” may have been the cause of the attack, K9 Trainer Liarne Henry told news.com.au.
Sleep startle, also known as sleep aggression, happens when a dog is woken up suddenly or unexpectedly. Many dogs will easily shake it off when woken suddenly. But some dogs may growl, snap, lunge, and bite when woken unexpectedly, according to the pet publication The Wildest.
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